Selling your house in the winter? Read our top tops...

The clocks have gone back, Halloween has been and gone, the autumn leaves are being blown from the trees….it’s a sure sign that winter is well and truly on its way.

If you’re in the process of selling your house, shorter and colder days can prove awkward when it comes to viewings so we’ve listed a few tips to help overcome a few of the challenges that face a winter seller!

Light up, light up…

As it gets darker much earlier in winter, having a well-lit home for viewings is vital. Daylight viewings are obviously preferable but not always possible, and some winter days can be gloomy throughout the day so don’t be afraid to put your lights on then too. You want to make your home look warm and homely so just prior to a viewing, flick the switches and light up every room! Use lamps and dimmers to achieve a good balance of light rather than just overhead centre lights which can be glaring, and also make sure that your door or porch light is on for evening viewings.

The heat is on…

Along with the shorter, darker days, the drop in temperature in winter is also a challenge. Heading out on a dark, cold night to view a house isn’t an ideal start to finding your dream home so help viewers see your property as ‘The One’ by making it as welcoming as possible and heat plays a big part of this. Have your heating on so they feel comforted on arrival and if you have an open fire or wood burning stove, light this too. This has the added bonus of allowing you to highlight this feature of your property.

Lipstick, powder and paint…

It can’t be stressed enough how important first impressions are for buyers. Winter can play havoc with the outside of our homes. Garden debris and litter can get caught up in hedges after a blowy night and leaves getting stuck in drains can make your house look unloved so keep a close eye on the outside and ensure pathways remain clear and any debris is removed. There’s not much we can do about the bare trees at this time of year but it’s worth considering buying a couple of brightly coloured pots/containers and plant with evergreen shrubs/bushes and place outside your door to give some colour and life to the approach to your property.

I’m free….

Most buyers want to view properties in the daylight and with daylight hours at a premium during the winter months, it helps if you can be as flexible as possible regarding viewing requests. 365 Estate Agents host viewings 7 days a week, 9am – 9pm which means viewers can see your property when you’re at work or out enjoying time with the family. If your agent doesn’t host viewings on your behalf, it is important that you try as best you can to meet any viewing requests. If it’s not possible, initial viewings may be completed in the evenings and if you’ve heated and lit your house and it has created that all important lasting impression, a potential buyer will want to second view during the day so work hard to meet this request. Selling your property is a competition. Your property is up against other similar properties in the area. If you’re not flexible, others may be and their house might then be snapped up so do all you can to facilitate viewings.

If you are thinking of selling your property, give us a call on 02891 180081 to arrange a valuation or if you are already on the market and feel your property is struggling to sell, get in touch and we can talk you through what could be done to improve your chances of a sale.